


Champagne (You're All I Can Taste)

by chucks_prophet



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, ET Photo Shoot, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Misha, End of the Show, Entertainment Weekly, Heavy Angst, Hopeful Ending, Kissing, M/M, Ocean, Swimming, Wet Clothing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:35:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23679259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chucks_prophet/pseuds/chucks_prophet
Summary: "What's that for?""Reciprocating the sentiment from earlier," Misha replies, not bothering with the tears staining his flushed cheeks. "If I'd kissed you back, I would've broken down again.""Now you know why I went for your cheek."Misha perks up at that. "What?"
Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Misha Collins
Kudos: 101





	Champagne (You're All I Can Taste)

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: There are no spoilers here!!! You may read something about Castiel that looks like a spoiler, but it is purely fictional, just like this fic. (Except the Cockles cheek kiss... bless.)

_"Love is like Novocaine_

_And it leaves a little stain_

_The beauty in all this pain is_

_I can't get away from you_

_So pull me down_

_And don't make a sound..."_

📷

Normally, this is the part they'd tell him he's crazy. The three of them are already drenched in $400 of champagne (thanks to Sam for pulling a few strings in convincing ET to splurge on them), damaged a thousand dollars in camera equipment, and not to mention put a few tears in three tuxedo rentals from an impromptu wrestling match.

But today's not a normal day, despite what's actually a pretty normal aftermath of their quality time together. Today's their last photo shoot. Today's the last day they're not only on the cover of a major magazine, but it's also the last day they'll see each other in the same space for a long time.

Despite the seemingly never-ending gag footage, that's only a fraction of the time Jensen, Jared, and Misha spend together - especially now with Castiel's death scene coming before Dean and Sam's. And their annual convention in Italy? That's not for another five months. So it's crucial to make every moment count.

Jared's the first to strip. No surprise there. Jensen learned the hard way thirteen years ago not to challenge Jared to Gay Chicken.

Jensen's next. It's not like he had much of an outfit anyway, with a basic thin white Fruit of the Loom short-sleeve and fraying blue jeans.

It's a beautiful day. He's never felt entitled in any way, but today feels like the kind of day that was sculpted by a higher power just for them.

Matted by a yellow-orange setting sun on the horizon, the landscape portrays a light blue sky and clouds painted with a thin fan brush whose strokes are light and sporadic. It's not so hot that it feels like an unsolicited hug at a family reunion, but rather an occasional caress from someone you love. These things coupled with the cool breeze and the ice-cold water catapult him back to better days - days where what they lost held no candle to what they’d gained.

"Hey! Mish!" Jensen yells over the oncoming current. "You coming?"

"You guys go ahead,” Misha reassures with little heart. “I'll hang back."

Jensen opens his mouth before licking his lips, washing away the words the way the ocean steals its shore back with a current. He feels himself being pulled under again, but it's not one he can easily swim out of. He's alive, but the water's still trapped in his lungs and over the course of the last year, he's learned it's just something he has to live with: the constant sting of the show ending.

And clearly, so does Misha. Jensen's never seen him so indifferent. This is a man who cares more than anyone probably ought to about this doomed planet - cares to the point of ruining his mental and physical health.

There's nothing to soothe the pain of the end of the show. Their Novocaine is each other, and, like many prescription meds, is only available in Canada.

Misha’s empty gaze adds more goosebumps to his already trampled spine. Jensen manages to look from Misha, back to Jared in the water, who also picks up on the one-sided tension. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Jensen says, answering for both of them, even though it's far from the truth. "I'll be back in in a minute."

He decides to head back up with Misha to the cliff overlooking the ocean. They've spent a great deal of time today here, be it for the shoot or the short breaks in-between, holding each other close to the ledge. It's almost symbolic: Taking turns looking out at the uncertain future ahead and wondering if, like the clouds in the sky, they see each other in them.

This time though, neither of them holds the other. Jensen lets Misha sit and process - something he's not good about letting his friends do. He still remembers Jibcon, back in 2015. It killed Jensen not to receive any formal confirmation from Jared that he was okay, because truth was, he wasn't - and that truth was also filled with uncertainty.

Occasionally, he glances at Misha - each time taking in a new detail of his face. From the unkempt greasy strands of dark hair to the deeper wrinkles in his forehead, and the heavy bags under his dark blue eyes like soaked tea bags, dripping with excess flavor, and his lips… those beautiful lips… that start to quiver.

Jensen wants more than anything to intertwine their fingers. Hug him again impossibly tighter. Tell him everything will be okay. But he doesn't want to lie again.

So he lets himself be serenaded by Misha's slowly evening out breathing.

Then, Misha leans in and kisses him on the cheek. That still gives him goosebumps, too.

"What's that for?"

"Reciprocating the sentiment from earlier," Misha replies, not bothering with the tears staining his flushed cheeks. "If I'd kissed you back, I would've broken down again."

"Now you know why I went for your cheek."

Misha perks up at that. "What?"

Jensen leans in carefully, slowly, like they suddenly have all the time in the world. Resting a hand on Misha's neck, he kisses him like it's simultaneously their first and last kiss. Even though it's far from either, Jensen can't help the tears suspending from the canopy of his own eyelashes when he pulls back. They wouldn't be noticeable to anyone until they fall, but Misha's not just anyone. He's never been just anyone.

"This isn't the end for us, you know.”

Jensen nods and breathes in that one rare, sweet truth like a margarita, the salt of the ocean still ripe on his tongue. Misha wipes away the tears.

"C'mon," he encourages as he stands up, lending out a hand to Jensen, "We can't trust Jared not to drown without adult supervision."

📷

_"You want it_

_You need it_

_You can't explain_

_You fight it_

_You feed it_

_I can't live without you"_

__ “Champagne”, Sugarcult_


End file.
